Repaving Phuket: Highways Dept defends bypass road drain delays

PHUKET: The ongoing drain construction along bypass road close to the Index Living Mall will be completed next month should weather be on the worker’s side, the Highways Department has told The Phuket News.

The drains should be complete next month, if the weather holds. Photo: Chalermpon Wongkietkun

“Right now we are doing our job and if there is no rain then the drain construction will be finished in October,” said Project Engineer Chalermpon Wongkietkun.

“Construction of the new drains along the bypass road has been going on for several months and has caused a lot of traffic congestion. After the drains are finished, potholes will have to be filled and the road fixed before the underpass opens in 2016.

“I know it’s a pain to drive on this bumpy road and that we need to keep up with repairs. I understand that some people have filled in some potholes themselves to solve the problem, but I can assure you that we have been fixing and filling potholes in the road.

“Right now we can only repair some parts of this road, but next year, once the road inside the tunnel is ready, we will resurface the entire road before the opening of the underpass in 2016,” Mr Chalermpon concluded.

Delays in the completion of the drain construction were initially blamed on a lack of sand when large chunks bypass road had started to crack and there were concerns that the road could collapse should works not be completed or repairs carried out. (See story here).